Workers of the world UNITE!

I.W.W. Milwaukee GMB Info

The Milwaukee GMB holds it's meetings on a monthly basis and invites any/all I.W.W. members in good standing to join us as well as the general working public. Come learn how working together we can wrest our destiny and fate from the monied, corporate interests and build a better, more egalatarian world in the process.

The Milwaukee General Membership Branch meets at the large meeting room of the Martin Luther King Library on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm; 310 W. Locust St, Milwaukee.

Upcoming Meetings:

January 14, 2016

February 11, 2016

March 10, 2016

April 14, 2016

May 12, 2016

June 9, 2016

July 14, 2016

August 11, 2016

September 8, 2016

October 13, 2016

November 10, 2016

December 8, 2016

You may contact us by mail at:I.W.W. Milwaukee GMB,P.O. Box 342294,Milwaukee, WI 53234

You can contact us via E-mail at iww.milwaukeeATgmailDOTcom

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Waupun Prisoners Refuse Food to Protest Solitary Confinement!!

Incarcerated workers are one of the easiest group of workers to abuse. The reasons for this are many. Chief amongst these are the fact that few people actually ever see them. With the exception of the prison employees (gaurds, medical staff, ...) most prisoners see few people and have limited time with them and family issues generally are of greater importance in the immediacy of the moment of visitation. A great many incarcerated workers have limited or no contact with the outside world at all.

This tends to increase the amount of abuse since there is no spotlight currently capable of putting a stop to this due to another major reason that these situations arise is that a great many non-incarcerated workers have been led to believe that it is ok to treat them in such a manner simply because they're "criminals" which equates to less than human. No longer do people feel that prisoners need rehabilitation so they can be reintegrated to "society" when their sentence is complete. This is completely dehumanizing and demoralizing. And workers incarcerated have few means at their disposal to alert the outside world to their plight.

Like everything in this "society" we live in it can be changed. The prisoners cannot do it alone. They need all our help. Me. You. And everyone we know. And those we don't yet know. It's gonna take more than a village. Read more here.

Worker-to-Worker Skillshare Workshop

What: Workshop on organizing workers around health & safety issues on the job

Come and learn the basics of safety in the workplace, and what workers can do when employers impose unsafe, unhealthy and high-stress conditions. This training includes an overview of workplace safety history, aknow your rights training, roleplaying, Q & A and participatory discussion. It provides WISCOSH (Wisconsin Committee on Occupational Safety and Health) information, drawing on federal standards and laws for support. This event also includes context on the IWW approach of organizing, emphasizing communication among co-workers, worker-led collective action, and a commitment to recognizing that an injury to one is an injury to all. If you require childcare please contact us in advance at iww.milwaukee@gmail.com, and we should be able to co-ordiante for IWW members with childcare experience to assist for this event.

This event will not run on "activist time", and will start promptly at 6:00 PM. If you can only get there afterwords that's understood and please come for what you can make, but ideally people can be there for the whole training.

Advance registration is not required, but it is preferred, to give a better indication of people coming, and to allow people to network on different resistance campaigns they're doing. The workshop includes handouts for reference purposes and having an accurate count ahead of time helps ensure sufficient are available. You can confirm your intent to attend by indicating so on the Milwaukee GMB's Event Page for the event.

Workshop and Discussion

When: Sunday, July 26, 2015 1pm

Where: AFSCME District 32 3427 W. St. Paul Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208

Please join us for a fun, casual, and informative workshop and discussion next Sunday. A Milwaukee IWW member will speak briefly on best practices when having organizing conversations with your coworkers and personal experiences, followed by a participatory workshop. Come to ask questions, share your organizing stories, or get the hang of the basics if you are looking to jump into workplace organizing for the first time.

This will NOT be an official IWW OT101 but some of the same information will be summarized.

The event will last around an hour and a half, depending on how many question participants have.

Milwaukee General Membership Branch Community Social Event

When: Sunday, July 19, 2015 4:00p-7:00p

Where: Gordon Park 2828 N. Humboldt Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53212

Come hang out! Food and beverages will be provided free of charge. Relax, enjoy the park and get to know some Milwaukee IWW members in a fun, laid back setting. Bring your friends and family. If you choose bring a dish to pass.

Note: in the event of poor weather conditions we will move the event to the Public House on Locust St.

Public Enemy: Reflections of the Black Panthers (88 minutes)

Join the Milwaukee IWW for a film screening and discussion of the documentary "Public Enemy: Reflections of the Black Panthers" (1999, 88 minutes). The event is free and open to the public, popcorn and drinks will be provided. This will take place in the large meeting room of the Bayview Public Library in Milwaukee, at 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The film explores the personal and public lives of four Panther Party members: prisoner-turned-playwright Jamal Joseph; musician and record producer, Nile Rodgers (Chic, Sister Sledge); law professor and lecturer Kathleen Cleaver; and the last surviving founding member, Bobby Seale.

Interlacing archival protest footage with recent interviews, the film explores the promise and tensions of attempting revolutionary change. Discussion will explore present day implications of the film, the individual experiences and the movement it represents. People are encouraged to come with questions and ideas for connecting this history to present day struggles against racism, police violence and economic exploitation.

Please contact us at iww.milwaukee@gmail.com if you would like us to arrange childcare for you, or if have any other questions. More information can be found here.

Free, public and participatory workshops that provide immediately practical techniques for combating power and supporting solidarity.

The event is located in the large meeting room of the Forest Home library, located at 1432 West Forest Home Avenue, Milwaukee. It's part of the Resistance Skillshare series, a monthly series of workshops and other gatherings, organized by the Milwaukee branch of the Industrial Workers of the World. Sessions are led by both IWW members and allies. To arrange childcare for this event, or if you have any questions, contact us at iwwDOTmilwaukeeATgmailDOTcom You can also reach us by phone at (414) 436-9627 or by letter at PO Box 342294, Milwaukee, WI, 53234.

Joe Hill was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World who was executed by firing squad in Salt Lake City on November 19, 1915. Prior to his death he traveled across North America; singing, writing songs and agitating workers. Among his most famous songs were "The Preacher and the Slave", "The Rebel Girl" and "There is Power in a Union."

In 2015, a group of musicians and labor organizers put together the Joe Hill Roadshow, to celebrate his life on the 100th anniversary of his murder. Traveling from Chicago to Salt Lake City, the musical group will be in Milwaukee on May 8th, playing at Anodyne Cafe at 224 W Bruce St., Milwaukee, WI There will be a $10 cover for the cost of travel. The event starts at 8pm, it will include spoken word pieces and music written by Joe Hill.

Remembering Joe Hill's statement to "Don't mourn, organize!" members of the Milwaukee branch of the IWW will be present, with information, fliers and personal connection to present day struggles. Talk with people and learn more about how workers, tenants and prisoners are fighting back, and how we can join in their struggles. As well, please bring details of your own organizing to connect with others.

Join the Milwaukee Industrial Workers of the World on May 1st, 2015. We will be participating in Voces de la Frontera's march, gathering at 11 AM on May 1st, outside of 1027 S 5th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204. We will march in support of immigrant organizing and all workers who organize for better conditions. On May Day, we will march against the bosses and the power that they wield. We march--and more importantly we organize-- for immediate improvements in our daily material conditions and to challenge the root causes of inequality and exploitation, the conditions that create prosperity for a few at the expense of the many.

Look for the IWW banner, and the red and black flags. Come by and connect with current Wobblie organizing in Wisconsin, including our workplace organizing, tenant mobilization and support for prisoners' unionization. Come hear about the resistance that others are offering, and share your own stories of struggle. Feel free to bring your own signs, your own banners and your own voice. For additional information visit here.

An injury to one is an injury to all. See you on International Worker's Day.

Mourn The DeadFight Like Hell for The Living!

Every day of every year workers are injured, maimed, made ill and killed on the job. Approximately once every 15min somewhere in America a worker dies on the job. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Workers are killed on New Years Day. Workers are killed on Easter and Passover. Workers are killed on the Fourth of July. Workers are killed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. And every other day too.

Unsafe working conditions don't take a day off. Unhealthy working conditions don't care if it's your anniversary or child's birthday. It doesn't matter if it's your first day on the job or your last day before you retire. Working in unsafe and/or unhealthy conditions is like going to Las Vegas: If you keep betting eventually the house takes all. Every year hundreds of thousands of workers are injured. Every year tens of thousands of workers die from occupational illnesses. Every year between three and six thousand workers are known to die on the job. How many more go unreported?

Every year workers gather together on April 28th to remember the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, friends, neighbors and coworkers we've lost to workplace incidents. WisCOSH's President will be speaking at SCFL's Press Conference in Madison, WI. In Milwaukee events are coordinated by WisCOSH and various labor unions to both recall those we lost over the previous year and reenergize the the fight for safer, healthier work and workplaces. WisCOSH is cohosting "Mourn The Dead" with the MALC and "Fight Like Hell for The Living" which includes a fundraiser dinner. There is no cost to attend any of these events. Profits from the fundraiser go towards upkeep and maintenance of Zeidler Union Square Park and funding WisCOSH outreach and training activities. You can download a flier and the program from their website.

Updated on 2015/04/22

Workshops on tenant organizing, mental health and building safety nets

Free, public and participatory workshops that provide immediately practical techniques for combating power and supporting solidarity. This event is in the large meeting room of the Center Street Library located at 2727 W Fond Du Lac Ave, Milwaukee, WI on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

This is the monthly Resistance Skillshare, organized by the Milwaukee General Membership Branch of the IWW, with sessions led by IWW speakers and allies. Each workshop stands alone, there's benefit to attending all sessions but if you can only come to some, you can still attend. To respect people's commitments we will not be running on "activist time," each workshop will start when scheduled. Childcare is available upon request, to arrange this contact us at iwwDOTmilwaukeeATgmailDOTcom. Additional information can be found here.

The Milwaukee General Membership Branch (GMB) of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) has been growing at a steady rate for more than a year now. This is not a new phenomenon but it is welcomed. Many of our new members are educators with several others working at area restaurants and coffee houses. Others work in foundries, factories, warehouses and other local places of employment.

The Milwaukee GMB is open to all workers regardless of your occupation or what industry you work in. We are here to help you organize be it in your workplace, your industry or simply yourself. Unlike the Business Trade Unions the I.W.W. does not require you to work at the same location or employer as others doing the same work or in the same industry to join the union. The GMB actively works to reach enough workers within an industry in a geographic location covered by the GMB and help them set up and run I.U.Bs. The Milwaukee GMB operates in Southeast WI including Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine and Kenosha Counties. You are invited and welcome to join us.

A brief presentation and open discussion on the history of activism and organizing at UW-Milwaukee. This event will focus on rising agitation across the 1960s, including the expansion of civil rights movements, anti-war mobilizing, feminism, gay liberation, opposition to police brutality and challenges to the capitalist university. The event will include images, description and analysis of UWM's past, from the archives of the UWM Post. This discussion will also include connections to resistance in Milwaukee in the 2010s, and what we can do to increase it. Organized by members of the IWW, Milwaukee General Membership Branch, IU 620: Education Workers.

On Saturday, May 31, 2014 the Milwaukee GMB will host a "Workplace Organizing Traininng" session. This event is FREE, open to the general public and will be held at All People's Church which is located at 2600 N. 2nd St., Milwaukee, WI 53212.

We will be gathering for practical discussion on how to organize our workplaces. Organized by the Milwaukee Industrial Workers of the World, this event is free and open to anyone seeking to have the conversations that will help them in organizing, challenging and improving their work conditions.

We will have free literature and resources available to help continue the process of agitation and organizing. Updated information can be found on this page.